1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to computers, and more specifically to a mouse, trackball, and other pointer devices.
2. Description of Prior Art
Prior art work-surface mice and base-mounted trackball pointer devices are simple, easy to operate, intuitive devices. They only have to be intermittently focused on to be utilized. They are typically situated within the range of peripheral vision and within easy operational reach. And they respectively have appreciated features such as the scroll, autoscroll and zoom controls, and often have programmable keys. However, work surface mouse or trackball operation requires a continuous close proximity to the display screen. It is not possible to lean back in a chair while operating a standard mouse or trackball pointer device, or to change the orientation of either device during operation. This inability to change use orientation and distance from the work surface contributes to the general fatigue of the work day. Other associated problems with the use of a mouse or trackball are occasional discomfort and pain from the repetitive left-right and forward-backward hand, wrist and arm motions involved when these pointer devices are continuously used during a typical work day. Various types of mice, trackballs and other pointer devices have been patented which attempt to overcome these problems by being made more ergonomically correct, or being useable in-air, i.e., being hand-held away from a work surface, or by having function keys which are differently positioned to the side or to the front, or by being palm-held so that they will enable use of the keyboard while holding the pointer device. And still other pointer devices have been patented which attempt to overcome these problems by being made useable in more than one mode of operation, such as a combined mouse and trackball.
What would be novel and useful in the field of pointer devices would be an improved “multimodal” pointer device that is: a. an inexpensive, practical, simple and easy to operate, intuitive device, which does not have to be continuously focused on to be utilized; b. which is typically situated within the range of peripheral vision and within easy operational reach; c. which has appreciated features such as scroll, autoscroll and zoom controls, and programmable keys; d. which takes advantage of ergonomic design and both vertically aligned and horizontal side-by-side function key methods; e. which can be used at will in differing spatial orientations and operational contexts, wired or wirelessly, so as to simulate either a typical mouse, or a typical trackball, or a typical palm-held in-air device, and possibly be used as well upright on its own base, or in a cooperative surface or suspension base stand wherein it may be provided with further features such as an angled support method or a tactile sensation feature.